


Beautiful Pathos

by orphan_account



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: End of the World, Falling In Love, Harry and Draco fall in love but cannot meet, Hogwarts Eighth Year, Love and Loss, M/M, Star-crossed, anger and hate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-19
Updated: 2018-02-27
Packaged: 2019-03-21 07:02:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 21,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13735641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: As Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy are drawn to each other, they discover the connection that connects their souls, and other, griever facts come to light.





	1. The First Kiss

**Author's Note:**

> So this is my first fanfiction. I'd begun posting this work earlier once, but I deleted that, and posted this again. I do not know how many chapters are going to be there, but I guess it'll be 7. Rated M for the mature content in the final chapters; so the rest of the work is not smut-y. :p

The Queen of Kashmir, however politically weakened, was respected by her people. Beghum Nikhat Alia her name was, and she was in a cold, damp cave, high up in the Goonj Mountain, kneeling before an old hermit.

The hermit was as hermits normally are, with white hair flowing out from his head and face, and he was called 'Baba', which means 'grandfather', and sometimes 'father'. Smoky fires burnt on both sides of Baba''s elevated stony seat, and he was lost in that smoke.

She waited patiently for him to speak.

"The end, 'Rani Sahiba'," he said, addressing her as his 'queen', "the end is here."

"What do you mean, Baba?" She said, a little uneasy.

"I mean that the end of the world is here. The ice and fire will fuse into one, and the duality will cease to exist and the world will explode into nothingness, the ever-existent singularity."

...

"Fancy a snack, Harry?" Ron asked, tearing into the sweets mercilessly.

"I'm a _bit_ preoccupied, so no, Ron, thank you." Harry said, irritated, not once looking up.

Ron shrugged and dived back into his sweets. Harry sat on his bed in the room he shared with Ron, in their new dormitory. They were back at Hogwarts to repeat the scholastic year, and they had been given a new dormitory in the huge North Tower. It was their second day at Hogwarts, and it was drawing to an end. By 'preoccupied', Harry meant busy looking into the Marauders' Map, his eyes fixed on a name plate that read 'Draco Malfoy'.

Something wasn't right. Malfoy had been in the Moaning Myrtle's bathroom for close to an hour.

"I'm going for a walk." Harry declared, and Ron nodded.

"See you." Harry said, and put his open palm on the enchanted door. It opened, and he walked out on the stair that descended into the Common Room.

Since there was an additional batch of First Years that year, the repeating Seventh Years had to be moved. It was better for the young students to stay together, and it was easier to make adjustments for the Seventh Years. And so the North Tower had been alotted to the Seventh Years, and its cylindrical structure had to be devided into four vertical sections, for the four Houses.

The Tower's protected entrance led to the Common Room that had all the usual things a Common Room is supposed to have: a big fireplace, sofas, tables and chairs, bookshelves, house banners and four notice boards. On four corners of this round room were placed the entrances to each section, enchanted in the fashion the House teacher wanted. Each stair was criss-crossed, and at every floor lay the door to one single room, from where the stair continued on to the next room. Harry and Ron had the second highest room, Dean and Seamus were in the one below them, and Neville had the highest one. Hermione had a room to herself, placed below Dean and Seamus' room, while Lavender and Parvati shared the lowest room.

Harry walked out from the portrait hole that was the entrance for the Gryffindor stair, crossed the largely empty Common Room, and was out into the hallway, and there's no need to mention where he was headed.

Silence filled the room. Draco Malfoy sat on the marble floor beneath a basin, face buried in his knees. Harry walked over to him and lightly tapped his shoulder. He didn't move. Harry moved over to sit in front of him. He didn't say a word, looking at Draco wordlessly. After what seemed to be an eternity, the silver-headed boy lifted his face and his eyes focused on Harry.

In one small moment a series of expression ran through those grey eyes. Recognition, surprise, disgust, and then self-consciousness, embarrassment, and then, silence. Harry saw in surprise, a face he had known for years, but it looked nothing familiar. This was not Draco Malfoy, this was not a teen, this wasn't a human being, a broken thing it was. Blank grey eyes showed no signs of the life within, as they stared on. Finally, Malfoy looked away. Harry did not know what to do.

"I'm fine", he finally said, "you're not needed here."

What was meant to be a careless command came out as a plea, in an alien voice, eerily calm.

Sleeve rolled up, a faint dark mark visible on milky white skin, wand in the other hand...

_'Oh yes, so very completely fine'_

Harry sat back, but didn't say anything.

Draco wanted to be left alone, or so he was convincing himself. At least he didn't want Saint Potter's company; that much was true. He couldn't bear to look at him, though. There was something in there, in the green eyes that unnerved him. Draco contemplated storming out.

"How were the vacations?" Harry said, and mentally kicked himself.

Draco laughed. He didn't believe he laughed. Vacations?! Potter must be mad.

"Oh, simply wonderful! Considering I killed my mad father just before that, I'd say I spent the vacations wonderfully!"

What was happening? Draco had refused to talk to anyone about his father and that awful day for three whole months, and here he was, and he couldn't believe he was talking about it, with Potter, no less!

For the first time, Harry had seen something inside of the grey eyes, something that proved Draco Malfoy had a soul, too. Harry's eyes dropped to the marble floor, ashamed.

"I'm.. I'm sorry. For everything."

"That must have been the first time you've said that to me, eh Potter?" Harry looked up to find the other boy smiling. That smile alone convinced him that he had been right to trust Malfoy back then, on that fateful day. He smiled back.

"I'm sorry too. For everything." Draco said, sincere. He found Harry's eyes, and froze.

As Harry saw, Draco's pupils dilated, and there was fear, there was cowardice, his bravery, his ambition, his pain, his heart, his love. Draco Malfoy was peeling down every layer that sheathed his soul, one by one, and Harry was seeing it all.

Draco looked into the green eyes as he found something other than pain. There was pain, enfoled into emerald globes, lined by a desire that sent shivers through him. An intense gaze seemed to attempt to penetrate him. He did not know what was happening, nor did he know how. What he did know was, for the first time in his young life, dark depths of his self were being explored. There was pain and fear, streaked in silver and emerald, molten and moulded into globes. He did not know what he was seeing. Was his own self, or was it something else.. something warm, and green, and something that made Draco feel that he was home, that he was whole.

The green eyes grew larger and larger, until the whole world was green. Draco felt a tender hand touching his cheek. Their eyes never breaking contact, even as two souls reached out to each other through those eyes, two bodies reached out to each other, and their lips met, and all light and sound left the world.

A hand slowly found its way to the back of Harry's neck and another slid from Draco's cheek, and was lost in the long silver hair behind Draco's ear. With the other hands, they held each other as they kissed. The eyes were closed as the burning bond manifested itself in the physical touch that joined their lips and their bodies, and their souls, and they were whole again.

Draco's hand moved from Harry's neck to the back of his head, undid the knot that held his shoulder-length hair, and was lost in the dark locks. Tongues found each other, and Draco hummed into Harry's mouth. Harry pulled him closer in one swift move, and Draco sat in Harry's lap, straddling him. They clutched each other, and held on tight, and stayed that way, devouring each other's soul through their lips, for what seemed like an eternity. It was more. More than body, more than mind. A bond had formed that connected them body and mind and soul as no two beings had ever been.

They wanted to be as they were, for the rest of their lives, kissing away, and they didn't even remembered when and why on Earth they stopped, but they must have, because Draco found himself panting as he looked down at Harry who appeared to be trying to pull in massive amounts of air in his lungs. Maybe both of them had forgotten to breathe at some point. Draco brushed aside a strand of dark hair, tucking it behind Harry's ear, and planted a chaste kiss on his faint lighting scar. He got down from Harry's lap to sit facing him, cross-legged, so their knees remained in touch. They simply looked at each other, both smiling stupidly. Draco just looked at the raven-headed face and was contemplating just how beautiful, beautiful that smile was, and how stupid he had been.

Harry just couldn't stop smiling. He didn't understand why he was so happy, but he was. In one sudden blow, however, realisation of the world came, and he was shot down back into reality. He had kissed Draco Malfoy! As if his life didn't have enough cyclones already. He saw Draco, and a rush of bliss ran through him. However, Draco's smile faltered, and his expression changed.

An unwelcome thought entered Draco's mind as he saw Harry's gaze straying to his dark mark. He tried to remain calm, rolled out his sleeve so it covered his arm, and, smiling weakly, he said,

"What's wrong?"

"What? N-nothing.. why?"

"You.. are being strange." Draco said, his fears confirmed. Harry did not trust him. Not even after..

"It's... It's just.." Harry struggled with words, "It's just that, I.. am in a pretty tough place, in life, right now. Everything is so... twisted and complicated." Harry sighed, took Draco's hand in his own, and continued,

"I... I don't think... Can you give me some time? Please. I just need to think... a bit. I mean, I don't even know who I am! I need some time.."

Finally, he looked up at Draco, and raised his eyebrows in a hopeful questionmark. Draco slid his hand out of Harry's, apparently to straighten his messed up hair.

"Umm... Yes, of course!" He said, tying his hair at the back of his head with a silver brooch, "I... I understand. Yes, yes, You.. are completely right."

"So we're.. okay?" Harry said, lifting an arm to put it on Draco's shoulder. However, Draco shrugged it away, smiling, and said,

"Yeah, no, I'll be fine. I... I think... I need to get going, I've got some... Yes, I've got some.. work... to do."

He immediately stood up, and even as Harry watched him in surprise, was gone with the wind.

...

Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy were the young individuals of already too young a species, and were therefore clouded by the inevitable petty human tendencies.

Unknown to the young, broken lads, a shockwave had run through the whole wide world, in the exact moment when their lips met. A shockwave, that had originated, from them.

The Prophet's Point had been breached, and thousands of possibilities made themselves be known to hundreds of seers that glimpsed them in a hundred different ways; no two alike.

In the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, two opposites met in a kiss.

In China, a blind girl shrieked in the Dark Room of Zhou family's ancestral home.

In the Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom, a hand crept from a cheek into silver hair.

All the candles went out at once in a synagogue in Haifa, Israel.

A hand undid a knot of dark hair.

A teacher in the Mahoutokoro School of Magic, Japan, set himself on fire, asleep.

Harry Potter pulled in Draco Malfoy, and the latter straddled the former.

In Africa's Thulamela, a round stone in the hands of a dark, old Caster suddenly turned to ice, in the middle of a fire ritual.

...

Inscence sticks were burning. The old lady took the hand of the gifted girl in hers, and began chanting in an unintelligible tongue.

Draco Malfoy moved back, brushed aside a strand of hair, and planted a chaste kiss on Harry Potter's mark.

The last candle had been lit again, and a man walked out of the synagogue in haste, fiercely muttering under his breath.

Draco got down from Harry's lap, and put his glasses on. They smiled at each other.

Alarms had been heard and people rushed in. The fire was put out with an Icicle Charm, but the teacher was still unconscious.

Harry's eyes fell on the Dark Mark, and an uncertainty was formed in him.

The Caster threw the globe of solid ice in the ceremonial fire, horrified, as if he'd seen the end of the world. The globe melted, and the fire went out.

Draco Malfoy muttered an excuse, and walked out of the Bathroom, into the evening Castle corridors.

The sun had set, and Hogwarts was setting down for a quiet night, but the world was stirring, for the End was near.


	2. The First Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys' attraction for each other deepens, there's jealousy, and urges, and lust, and a magical first date. Even when all would seem fine, however, it isn't. Another prophecy is made, and a trident comes cutting the air, and slams itself into the story.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys even if some sections of the story may seem a bit abstract, trust me, they'll tie in with the coming chapters.

Harry made his way out of the Charms classroom ahead of everyone else, dragging his friends with him, being the closest to the door at the back. The last thing he craved was attention. It had been, to say the least, a horrible lecture.

They were practising the Patronus Charm, and considering the fact that Draco Malfoy could never, ever produce a Patronus, Harry Potter hadn't been particularly focused either, and the result was, he couldn't produce a Patronus when it was his turn.

Prof. Flitwick, naturally, knew of Draco's condition(all of Hogwarts knew, they'd all witnessed what happened that day..) and gave him some other charm to work on, but still Harry knew that he must've been quite depressed.

He'd felt sorry for the Slytherin, but when he turned to look, he found him to be too busy talking to that stupid Parkinson, and all he had within himself was anger. But then, it's not like his anger for Malfoy was justified. Everyone could see that Malfoy was not interested, but that stupid, ugly, stupid.. bitc.. 'girl' would NOT TAKE THE HINT!

'Keep Your hands to Yourself', he'd wanted to shout. He didn't, just like he hadn't reached out to Draco since their kiss.

Am I weak? Am I afraid?

He needed a bath. A hot, steaming bath, to melt away his worries.

...

"Blue bubbles" He said, and the door to the Prefect's Bathroom opened.

Feeling too depressed to go on after the Charms lecture, Draco Malfoy had decided he needed a good hot bath to clear his head. Watching the Chosen Potter go about his business as if nothing was amiss had been too much. And then, there was always Pansy Parkinson, or Mother's letter, or a jolt of memory inside his mind that would show him his father's dying face. Those had... Well, he hadn't felt like killing himself.. for two whole days!

Magic is real!

Still, there's only so much one can handle. At least he'd been able to sleep well the past two nights.

No sooner than the lecture was done, he made his way through the crowd to the Bathroom. Escaping Pansy hadn't been easy, but well, he was a Slytherin after all.  
The familiar smell of mixed bubbles and varied smelling soaps filled his nostrils as he stepped inside. Just as the door closed behind him, he looked up and stopped in his tracks, shocked.

Harry-frickin-Potter stood in front of him, with no piece of clothing except the towel about his waist, as he was drying his hair with another.

Apparently, he hadn't heard the door open, but heard it close and looked up. A shock ran through Potter's face, and was rooted in the eyes. Draco probably looked the same.

Both of them took a moment to realise what was happening and where they were, and then embarrassment took over the shock.

Harry's hair was in wet masses, thin locks that dripped little drops on his chest and shoulders. The steam lapped over his form, and his built, wet body... Draco suppressed an unreasonable urge to do any of the two things that came to his mind. The first, to say something painful to Potter, regarding his Patronus fail(he hadn't felt like doing that in a long time.. that could actually be a good sign!), and the second..

Oh, no.

He turned as fast as he could, to leave. He had to. He hadn't forgotten the last time they'd been together in a bathroom. He smiled internally. With Potter looking like that, and the heat, and the steam and the sweat, and Potter looking like that..

"Hey, wait." Potter called out.

Draco stopped.

Okay, what?

He turned around, a questioning look on his face. He was actively trying to keep his eyes on Potter's face.

"I mean, I'm done with my bath so..."

"Oh... Okay."

He looked down. The intricate marble pattern on the floor was quite fascinating.

Potter collected his belongings and went for the changing room to the left, resuming drying off his hair.  
Draco didn't know if he should wait for Potter to leave, should leave himself, or shouldn't even care about Potter. He was desperate to show he didn't care, so he stood admiring the floor. A minute later, Saint Potter emerged from behind the marble partition, clothes on(dishevelled), and hair still a little wet.

In a haste to get away from the vile seducer, Mr. Potter?  
He was almost pleased to see Potter bewildered like this. Almost. They'd never once talked about the kiss, and it had been a two days.

Potter hastily walked to the door; stopped, and turned. He looked at Draco, and Draco saw green bravery and fear, and Potter turned away, and stopped. He turned around, again, and said, stammering, "I... I renewed the water... And it's on level 5.. the.. just so you don't.. accidentally... So... okay, yeah.. Yes. Alright."

With that, he was gone.

Wasn't THAT weird.

He sighed.

The door opened, and in came Potter.

Hate? No. Anger? Nope. Desperation? A little(?).. Fear?! and.. Determination..! Right. Well..

Now what?

"So, I've.. been, thinking, and.. aythnkmebiwikud.."

"Umm.."

"...wilyumit..."

"What?"

"..Hogsmea...thnandjstsoto..."

"Hey.. hey," he tried to say, but resolved to shouting, to make the beautiful, awkward, bewildered boy stop, "Potter, POTTER!"

When he did stop, he looked miserable. 

Do I feel bad for him?

"You're not making any sense." He said matter-of-factly.

"Oh."

Potter took a deep breath, exhaled, and began again.

"So," Potter said, and it seemed that he was forming every word inside his mind, and speaking with utmost care.

"I have been.. thinking, and, it would.. I, want to.. Maybe we should.. I was wondering if maybe we could meet up, in the.. next Hogsmeade visit?"

"Oh.." Draco looked down at the marvellous marble floor, saw green eyes and a dark mark and hesitation. He sighed, and then looked up.

"Why?" he said.

"What?" Potter looked stricken. "Why? It is a pretty simple question, Potter."

The gears moved in the green eyes.

Anger? No.. Resentment? No..? Bewilderment? A bit.. Fear? Yes.. and.. Pain.

Oh.

And yet, he was resolved to make the Gryffindor suffer.

"I thought we should talk about.. that we should talk about what happened..." Potter looked at him, saying, "You do remember what happened.. right?"

He sighed.

I wish I could use the Cruciatus.

He smiled brightly, saying, "How could I not, Saviour?"

Potter flinched at the venom in his voice.

Good.

"Hey, I just..."

"We'll talk when we meet, in Hogsmeade. I'll let You know the 'when' and the 'where'."

Was there an emerald joy in there?

Somewhere behind that fear, yes..  
That's cu.. Damn.

Potter was gone, then, finally, and Draco locked the Bathroom door with a flick of his wand. He wasn't half as stupid as Potter could be, at times.

He set the levels, and entered the renewed, steaming hot water.

He sighed, relaxed.

It seemed his life was nothing but sighs. Painful sighs, and pitiful sighs, and desperate sighs, and content sighs, and irritated sighs, and every sort in between.  
He let everything be washed away by the hot scented water. Although, whatever he tried, he couldn't get rid of the half-naked form of Harry Potter from his mind. He closed his eyes, and smiled as he realized he didn't want to.

...

Parvati climbed the ladder to the Divination classroom. She preferred the methods of Professor Trelawny, with her globes and cards, to the Centaur Firenze's methods of stars and patterns. Five of her fellow mates sat facing the dazed Professor, who had her back towards Parvati. Even as she crossed the threshold, a sudden gust of wind came in through the opposite window. A misty white globe and a clear dark jar fell to the floor, the crash resounding through the whole dim-lit room. The Professor turned to her sharply, but the eyes did not see her through the thick glasses.

She spoke, in a strange, muffled, loud, voice. Loud.

"IT IS COMING!"

The room went silent. The Professor was looking madly at her, or maybe beyond her.

"The POISON that turned the seas blackkkk,  
And the ELIXIR that burned the worlds to ashhhhh!  
THEY APPROOOACH!  
When THEY meet,  
those that must never meet,  
IT SHALL COME!  
SHE, shall be the KEY!  
THE WORLD BURNS,  
AND A DANCE BEGINS!  
A play, of dark, and light!  
A play, of day, and night!  
A play, of good, and evil,  
And of DEATH... AND LIFE!!!"

The world had gone quiet, and Parvati Patil stood frozen in her place. All she could see was the thin, old finger pointing at her.

...

Harry Potter smiled brightly as he woke up, and his heart beat with anticipation, as if he was some dewy-eyed fifth year.

Today is the day.

He looked out from the window as he got up. It was a beautiful morning. He stepped out of his room alone, after having spent an absurd amount of time getting ready. Ron had disappeared in the middle of the night. He often did that, and Harry didn't even want to think about where he went, because he did have an idea, and it felt, well.. eww-ish. He didn't think Ron and Hermione were.. but that didn't make him not cringe whenever he thought about it. He still didn't know what they had thought up, because the entry to the girls' room wouldn't permit boys, but then what's new.

He had been hungry, but the breakfast tasted foul as he saw Malfoy being touched by Parkinson over and over again, across the hall, beyond the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables. He couldn't bear Malfoy walking down the corridors, through the lectures and the meals, without so much as a glance towards him. It was plain torture. Sometimes he would have urges. Urges, that were getting worse by the day, increasing in intensity as well as frequency. It was hard.

Urges. To pull Malfoy in a corner, to punch him in the gut, to throw him to the ground, to hit him hard, on his perfect arse.. To touch his hair, smell his skin, pull him close, snog him silly... The urges, were coupled with the dreams. Now that he came to the think about it, he didn't have nightmares anymore, and he'd never felt so much like himself since the.. since that day.. But now that the nightmares were gone, his dreams were enriched with Malfoy.. It was all getting troublesome, and he could neither do anything nor talk about it to either of his best friends. Harry had never been one to deny what he felt, and he had never been one to share all he felt, either. Especially about a crush. On a Slytherin. Draco Malfoy, no less.

"What's wrong with You now?" Ginny asked, "and why are you all... not dishevelled?" The couple turned their eyes towards him, so did Seamus, and Parvati, and Neville, who was besides him.

He merely smiled, blinked twice, shook his head, and began picking at his food. He could feel the eyes of Hermione on him. Ginny stared at him for a moment, shrugged, and resumed reading the Quibbler in her lap.

As they finished their breakfast and got up, he sneaked a look towards the Slytherin table one last time, met Malfoy's glance, and fell into step with the couple as they walked out the Hall, towards Transfiguration, with a million butterflies in his stomach.

...

Draco could feel the September in the air as he walked. He had finally managed to get rid of Pansy. Even as he walked, his chest hammered loudly and his stomach was rumbling with anxiety. What if Potter told him that didn't want anything to do with him? What would he do then?

He wouldn't. I know.

In a span of mere days, he had come to.. what was it exactly? It's.. well, he couldn't really find an excuse for it. He had a crush on Potter. He had a crush on Potter?

There's something I'd never thought I would say.  
No. It's.. it's too deep to be a crush. Too pure to be lust. Too young to be love.  
Let's find out.

He walked past Honeydukes and Zonko's, and Ollivanders, and The Three Broomsticks(he couldn't help a shiver as a memory floated to him..), and turned a block before the Hog's Head Inn, into a grey, deserted alley, where he found the wall with the sign. There were seven stars in the sequence of The Big Dipper constellation, if one knew where to look. He made sure he was alone, muttered a few incantations just to make sure, and tapped the stones in the uniuqe sequence, whispering the password.

The place he had decided for them to meet was a lesser-known... there was no specific word for it, given that it changed according to the customer's wish, so it could be called The Blackswann's Café/Inn/Motel. It was quite expensive, but he was, after all, a Malfoy. The password and the combination meant that the wall dissolved into a gateway, that led him to wooden stairs that he knew led up to a wooden door. He opened it and stepped into the dark room wide enough to accommodate eight diners. It was presently nothing but blank space, but that was why he was here early.

He walked around the place solidifying his visions. He had to have only that kind of table, and these kind of plates, and this species of flowers, and that shade of drapes. He went on modifying the place for a whole fifteen minutes, until it looked-there was no other word for it-perfect.

A fresh sweet smell was in the air; ever present, but not too strong. The only window, which opened to a beautiful enchanted view of the countryside, was open, and the curtains were drawn and tied back neatly. In the corner that was untouched by the insurging light, there was a small marble fountain, and lit candles hung in the air all around it. The shimmering water and yellow candle-light created beautiful patterns on the ceiling, which was slanting dark wood. A round table covered with a rich velvety tablecloth and two elegant chairs stood at the center of the room, next to the window. It was lunchtime, and they would probably be eating, but he didn't want to appear assumptious, so he didn't conjure plates.

He checked the time, and went over to sit in the chair that faced the door. The knob turned, and in walked Potter.

Draco immediately, involuntarily got up at the sight of Harry. His hair were drawn back perfectly, not one strand of hair had broken free. His scar, his eyes behind his glasses, his defined jawline, his thin, wet, blood-red lips.. he had never looked beautiful-ler. He studied Draco with lost eyes for a moment or two, blushed, and proceeded remove and hang his dark overcoat where Draco had hung his, right next to the door.

"Hey," said Draco, realising his mouth had gone dry. Why was he so nervous?

"Hey." Harry stood awkwardly where he'd hung his coat, looking around the room, the fountain, the candles, the ceiling, the floor, anything but Draco.

"You know you can sit, I won't mind," Draco tried to joke, but his sound was so shaky that it surprised him. Apparently, that made Potter feel less intimidated, and he eased, walking over to sit. Harry placed his wand on the table and they both sat facing each other, when Draco said,  
"Right. So, we'll be having...?"

"Is this a date?"

"What?"

"What?"

"I asked, what will you be having?" Draco had to fight to suppress his smile.

Harry looked around, removed his glasses, smiled nervously, and said,

"Whatever you're having will do."

Draco smiled, much more at ease. The plates and accessories began to materialize in a corner of the room, and Draco said,  
"Yes."

"Oh" said Harry. He blushed. Draco smiled. Brightly.

"Put your wand in the pocket... Harry.."

Draco could feel the heat in his face as he said the name, and he continued, "...I'd never thought we would ever.." Draco said, playing with the sleeve of his shirt.

"Me too." Harry said, and was quick to add, "not that I don't like this.."

"This is so strange.." Draco said, grinning.

Harry had never seen him like that- it was beautiful face, and pure. Harry grinned.

After what could easily have been an hour, the two boys were much more at ease with one another. Having had their food, it was time to leave, though they didn't want to. They got up, and walked over to get their coats.

"So, what now?" Draco asked, unrevealing of the daggers that jabbed at his insides.

"What, Draco?" Said Harry.

"Do we keep this a secret?"

"Why?"

Draco grabbed Harry's shirt, pulled him close and kissed him, warm and smooth and deep. When their lips broke apart, their foreheads were still glued together, and Draco whispered,

"I was dying to do that."

Harry kissed him again. They separated, and Harry got Draco's coat, handed it to him, and went for his.

"So we talked for an hour here, and yet, we never once talked about whatt we should have." Draco said, proceeding to put on his coat, a little sad.

"Go on, then, tell me."

Draco pulled up his sleeve, baring the faint dark mark.  
"Does this make you hate me?" There were tears in his eyes.

"No." Harry said simply.

"So..."

"I don't know, Draco," said Harry, taking Draco's hand in his and caressing the mark with his thumb, "I don't know what's pulling us closer and what's pushing us apart, and I don't know why I hesitated that day, but I've been thinking, quite a lot, and I know now." Harry put his hand of Draco's cheek, "I want you."

A tear fell on Harry's thumb, and Draco hugged him. The way he did, Harry felt something deeper as he held the slightly shorter boy close. He kissed his head, and said,

"You know, we should go."

"Why?"

"Because I have to meet up with Ron and Hermione", he said, "and you're coming with me."

...

As Harry and Draco walked out of the Blackswann's place, Harry intermingled his fingers into Draco's, and Draco blushed, and grinned wide like a giddy fifth year, and he wasn't even ashamed of it. They began to walk out of the dark alley when a trident flew in, from nowhere and hit Draco right in the chest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, and let me know what you thought of this!


	3. Before the Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been two days after the battle, and Hogwarts heals in peace. Lucius Malfoy stirs up a terrible weapon, and the son must stop his father. There's Sentinel and singularity, and death and darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to remind you guys, the Beghum Nikhat Alia of Kashmir is the Begum we saw conversing with Baba, the hermit, last time. Her fragment here is just the continuation of the same scene, free of the timeline of the rest of the story.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry had bled heavily from the Battle. Two days later, it still stood, bits and pieces missing here and there, as if a dragon had tore off gigantic chunks from its body. Black burn marks covered the walls, and a lot of rubble crowded the marble floor at places. And yet, the Hogwarts castle stood tall, bearing the marks like a warrior would bear scars. Of course, if people had time to spare from tending to other people, repairs wouldn't take time. But then, even though Voldemort was dead, the Battle was not over. Not entirely, at least.

The best of the survivors were still fighting the scattered Eaters, or catching Snatchers, or restoring the Ministry, or figuring out the loyal foes from empiriused ones. Dementors and inferi and giants and dragons and tarantulas and scores of other magical beings and beasts were being brought into control, and people were returning home, to their villages, to their jobs, to Hogsmeade, and to Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall had stayed back at Hogwarts, where she belonged. The transfigured statues, restored to their full strength, patrolled the grounds, protective enchantments were back in place, and Hogwarts healed, inside its walls. Quietly.

Harry Potter walked around the corridors in the quiet hours of dawn, unable to find sleep. Now that all of it was over, he had thought sleep would come easy, but it didn't. The nightmares were gone, and yet, Harry Potter could not find sleep. And yet, Harry Potter could not find peace. Ron and Hermione and Ginny grieved for Fred, and Remus and Tonks, and countless others. Harry grieved for all of them and more, and for his own self.

Something inside him had died, too. None of them could understand that. Except Ginny, of course. Last night, she'd held him as he'd cried. Or better yet, she'd sobbed and shed tears quietly, and had held him as he had howled and screamed in pain. They'd fallen asleep in each other's arms in the Moaning Myrtle's Bathroom. She was there for him.

She'll always be there for me. No matter what.

He had just left Ginny at the portrait hole, and was walking aimlessly around the school. His hand played with the Hawthorne wand, and his own repaired wand was tucked inside his pocket. Malfoy's wand felt strange. Foreign, and yet, friendly. And, he did have a sore need for some companion. It served. He'd never noticed just how many of the portraits there were. Even they were quiet, asleep. It was all quiet now. The world was sleeping, even though he couldn't.

...

A new day had come and gone, and yet, it made no difference. The cave they were in was always dark and damp, no matter what time it was out there. Markings and patterns covered the hard stone floor, and there were human and animal skulls here and there, painted red and yellow and blue. Only one fire burned inside the huge cave, in an earthen dish that sat between his father and the Caster. He stood far in the back, his mother's hand in his, as he watched his father speak in that savage tongue.

I hate that man.

The black-skinned Caster was once the chief of some tribe, until his people kicked him out for dealing with the daemons. This is where his lord father had taken refuge, in a madman's cave in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of Africa.

What has become of him?

It was the work of that wretched Caster. He knew it. His father would never risk his family, for the sake of an indifferent, dead man. His family and his reputation was all that mattered to him.

Oh.

His mother's hand was sweaty.

She's scared. He is the love of her life, after all.

His father closed his eyes as the Caster's voice became louder, and louder, and louder, and louder still, and so loud that Potter would have heard it in Hogwarts. His mother removed her hand from his and clamped both her palms to her ears, and he did the same, and yet, the shrill voice was heard, loud and clear. It was unbearable, and it brought out tears from his eyes. He knew he would scream if it went on for a minute longer, and then it stopped. Draco hadn't realised he'd closed his eyes, until he opened them, and wiped his cheeks.

The cave basked in a dull glow, and a globe floated between his father and the Caster. It was the size of a seer's crystal ball, but it was strange. It looked like hot fire and cold ice played with each other under a glassy surface, constantly. It was now burning red, now chilling blue, now blinding white, now seamless dark. The fire and ice inside that thing, was ever flowing, ever playing, never meeting.

He had not realised by then that his mother had been shrieking, until she stopped. Now, she was shaking. He bent down to comfort her, and wiped the tears away from her eyes. His father had not said a word since he'd stopped chanting. When he looked at Draco, it was.. frightening.

"Take her back to the Manor," he whispered in an inhuman voice, "The Nicholas Tunnel."

Draco nodded, eyes downcast. He couldn't bear to look at his father. Those eyes...

He's gone mad.

Draco held his mother's hand, disapparated using his mother's wand, and brought her in a large cellar that was a part of the long Nicholas Tunnel. The passage went all the way from the Malfoy Manor to their estate in the wilderness of some Muggle countryside. It was dark inside, so he ignited his wand tip, found the torch, lit it, all the while supporting the weight of his mother on his shoulder.

Once there was some light, the cellar was revealed to hold a bed, several mattresses in a corner piled in an orderly fashion, and an old wooden cupboard that held supplies that could last a month, provided one knew the Malfoy password to open it. He laid his mother down on the bed. She wasn't shaking anymore, and her eyes focused on her son. Probably being out of that spell's influence worked.

"Draco..", she whispered, and he bent in, to hear better. "Draco, my dear son.."

She ran her hand through his hair, smiled weakly, kissed his forehead, and held his hand. Tightly.

"Go." Her voice a thin whisper, her eyes were fixed on him. He looked at her uncertainly.

"Mother.."

"Oh Draco, my dear Draco... Being a Malfoy, my path was always clear, and the Dark Arts, the ever beautiful, curious Dark Arts were what I was made for. But murdering children... No. I will not have countless mothers weep for forever-lost children."

"Mother, what are You.." He was afraid his mother was going insane, too. He could barely hold back his tears.

Why is this happening to me?

"..Draco, my son, go.."

"N-no, mother.."

"Your father.. save him.. that Globe.."

"I cannot.." his mother squeezed his hand tightly, and there was steel in her eyes. He was surprised she had this much strength in herself.

"I command You," she spoke, her voice a hiss, "Draco Lucius Malfoy. Save my husband, and bring him back to me."

"Mother.. I don't.."

"Go."

He knew there was no reasoning her. But he would need to take her wand with him, and she would be left unprotected. Having no other choice, he swallowed his tears, put some basic protective enchantments around the already well-protected cellar, took a last look at his mother, and disapparated.

...

The Great Hall was abuzz with a hundred voices as the breakfast was being served. Suddenly an alarm went off, and every sound was hushed, as Draco Malfoy ran in, through the open doors. Everything went into motion at once, and wands were drawn and a flurry of hexes and jinxes flew his way, and he brought up his hands to shield his face. The spells kept coming, and even when they seemed to catch him, they proved useless. When he realised that, he stood straight up, eerily calm, as if appreciating how beautiful the multi-coloured jets looked. When people realised he must have a shield around him, different sorts of spells were thrown at him, to no avail.

Then everything went quiet at once, as everyone realised that Draco wasn't defending himself; he didn't even have a wand in hand.

Sound came back to the world suddenly as heads turned to see George Wesley get up. He began hitting the Slytherin with every spell he knew, soundless, even as he walked towards the young Eater. They were of little use, of course; the shield was too strong. The only sound in the Great Hall was that of spells zooming in and crashing on the shield, one after the other, and the world watched. George's eyes were ablaze with loathing, and he kept firing the spells, madly.

Angelina Johnson emerged out of nowhere, caught hold of his shoulder, and pulled him back as he grunted, yelled, and resisted, red eyes focused on Malfoy. The world came back to life all at once, and the older wizards rushed in towards the intruder. Angelina managed to overpower George, snatched his wand and pulled him into a tight embrace, even as he kept fighting her, hitting her hard in the stomach. Her eyes were shut tight in pain, and George's blows became weaker and weaker, until he held her as tightly, without a sound. If he cried, he cried tearless and voiceless.

Harry Potter emerged out of the crowd, walked past the Weasleys huddled around George, walked past McGonagall and Slughorn trying to reach the Malfoy heir, walked past Ginny Weasley, and Luna Lovegood, and Neville Longbottom, and Cho Chang and the Patil twins. He walked until only the invisible shield stood between them both.

Draco's clothes were shabby, and torn. His silver hair were matted with dust. His eyes were red, and he looked like he'd been crying, and running. His face had a haunted look to it, and his eyes held fear. Not the kind of fear that makes one tremble as a drawn bowstring; the kind of fear that fills one's stomach with cold, leaden dread.

Harry Potter waved his wand in an elaborate motion, and the shield was removed. He turned to see surprised stares on him. McGonagall, Slughorn, Hermione, Neville, the Weasleys, and Ginny. Worst of all, Ginny. Her stare could have cut him, it was so sharp. He turned away from her, to face Draco.

"What?" He looked right into the grey-red eyes.

"Mm-my father.. it's my father.. he's.." Draco fought with his words, but then his eyes were fixed on Harry, and he knew what he had to say.

"Potter, you need to evacuate the castle..." Draco said, turning to see past Harry, towards the deputy Headmistress, and back again at Harry. Harry had seen Draco afraid of things before, but this fear in his eyes terrified him.

"There's some globe.. it's that Caster's work.. he's coming.." His voice was an odd mix of dread and urgency.

"He h-has a weapon, a strong weapon. I'll distract him, and You leave.. all of You. There's no time. Evacuate the castle."

Harry turned towards Professor McGonagall, who ushered in towards them.

"What kind of weapon?"

A loud crash filled the air, and Harry saw something move in Draco's widened eyes. Terror. Naked terror.

All of them ran to the Front Gate. Lucius Malfoy was walking in through what seemed like a hole in the air, where the long bridge to the Front Gate began. His hand held a staff with a large, shining, globe on it. It filled Harry's heart with fear, the fear he saw written all over McGonagall's face as she watched. She turned sharply to Harry. She turned back to the members of the DA that had gathered, evidently, preparing to fight.

"Evacuate the castle.", she said plainly. Her tone and her eyes left no doubts as everyone rushed to get everyone else to the Room of Requirement. She stood right in front of the insurging Malfoy, Harry to her left, Draco to the right.

"You too, Malfoy. And Potter. Leave."

"No. I'll.. He's my father, I can stop him. You go." The boy didn't look at McGonagall as he spoke. Harry was surprised to hear the steel in his voice, alongside fear.

How is he so bold and terrified, at the same time?

She shot a few jets at the globe, then turned to the two boys. Lucius Malfoy walked with deliberate, slow steps. The stone giants lined the bridge,and yet, they burned into dust as they came within a foot of that staff. Malfoy senior was halfway across the bridge. When Professor McGonagall turned to Harry, he knew what true horror looked like. He'd seen Minevra McGonagall truly afraid, for the first time. She hadn't been this afraid even while battling Voldemort.

"Leave." Her voice trembled.

Harry looked at Draco. Draco looked at Harry. Eyes exchanged words, and none of them moved. Behind them, half of the surviving DA stood bold, everyone else removed from the premises, towards the Room of Requirement.

"Professor, how do we stop him?" Harry asked, looking at Draco out of the corner of his eye, as if expecting an answer from him instead.

"We cannot." Her voice quivered as she spoke. She turned to Harry. "That is the most ancient, worst of the weapons, Harry. It's the Paradox. It's not mere Dark magic, it's beyond Light and Dark. It can unleash infinite amounts of destruction, and yet, no force in the world can destroy it. Controlled brilliantly, it can lay cities to waste, and uncontrolled, it can engulf entire planets. When the fire and ice meet, singularity forms, and destruction follows." She turned to the terrified Draco, and then to her army. Her eyes were wet, Harry saw.

"LEAVE," she screamed, "WE CANNOT STOP HIM!"

She probably knew no one would actually leave, but she had to give them a chance.

"Singularity..."

It all came into Draco's head at once. He could.. but then who can..

"Harry!" He couldn't help but shout.

Both Harry and the Professor looked at him in surprise. He shouted, quite unnecessarily,

"Harry, if two opposites collide into themselves, a singularity can be created! We can create a singularity! Not so impacting as to affect too much, we need only engulf the Paradox."

Even as the two of them took time to understand, he began to wonder what two opposites could be made to.. something positive, and something completely opposite, and yet, on a scale large enough..

"A Patronus!" Harry shouted, "a Patronus and a dementor!" He immediately went silent, as he realised dementor isn't an opposite of a Patronus, and they couldn't really produce a dementor anyway.

"The Sentinel." Draco said, eyes lost, in the general direction of his father.

But that's such dark magic...

"I will produce the Dark Sentinel..." Prof. McGonagall began to say, when Draco interrupted her.

"You can't. None of you. I can." Draco said, as he realised what it would cost his soul.

I have to save my father.

"Step back, Professor." Harry muttered to his teacher. She had no choice but step back, though she didn't recede so far back as to not rush in if she was needed.

The boys stepped closer and made up the plan(fortunately they did not shout, seeing that Lucius and the Caster were quite close), all the while keeping an eye on Lucius. Harry didn't even stop for a moment to think that he was trusting an ex-Eater. In the heat of the moment, and the certainty of doom, he didn't have the benefit of doubt.

I fought for these people. I died for these people. I won't let that go to waste.

He had to take a chance, and he did.

When Lucius Malfoy was twenty feet away, Draco twisted and turned his mother's wand, as if drilling into the air. A thick dark vapour emanated out of the wand tip, and it twisted and turned, and expanded from within itself, and something resembling an Obscurus was formed. Formless. Dark as a moonless night. Glistening like some thick liquid. Draco's hand was trembling and his red eyes held tears as he relived his worst memories, and he fought to maintain the Dark Sentinel, but Harry did not see. He relived his happiest of memories, as a shining stag shot out of his phoenix wand. It galloped for a distance, then turned and folded into itself, to produce a thing as shapeless as Draco's Sentinel.

The two starkly contrasting streams surged forward, as if two arms of a great being, twisting and turning around one another, and just before they could hit the Paradox, they shot into opposite directions, the Patronus to the left and the Dark Sentinel to the right. They flew faster and faster, away from each other, and then turned and shot back at each other, amassing more and more speed. Harry saw Draco shaking terribly.

"TAKE MY HAND!" He shouted, as he moved his wand in his left hand, and stretched out his right. His Patronus never slowed.

Draco turned towards him for the fraction of a second, turned back, and stretched out his left hand to hold Harry's right. The sweaty hands held each other tighter and tighter, intertwining their fingers as the streams neared each other.

In one long second, the streams collided with each other, just above the Paradox, and the explosion emitted a grey globe that stretched out like an inflated cloud and then shrank back again, smaller and smaller, and smaller still, until it shrank into nothingness, all in one short, long-lived second. They heard the BANG a second later, and when they did, the Paradox was gone, Lucius Malfoy was on the ground, and the Caster had disappeared.

In that one small, and long moment, Draco had seen the haunted look his father gave him just before he realised what had happened. A look that would haunt him for the rest of his days. A look that would chase him in memory and in nightmares. A look that would make his world an inferno of pain.

When Harry, drained, and yet, content, looked at Draco, horror filled his being as he saw Draco's face. Blood ran down his cheeks from his eyes. Blood also ran down from his nostrils, and the middle of his brow, where there was a large wound.

He was already at a hand's reach, and caught Draco just as he was about to fall to the ground. His eyes saw only Draco as he roared,

"HEEELP!"

...

A Paradox had been sent into another dimension, and some strange magic had woven itself into the two incomplete beings holding hands, the strange magic that emerged through the hole that they made to escape Death. Death, had been cheated, having received only one where he could have had hundreds. Unaware of it, unaware of the bond that had formed, unaware of anything that awaited them, Harry Potter dragged Draco Malfoy to the Hospital wing, never unentwining their entwined fingers.

We all know of what happened the last time Death was cheated by the three brothers, don't we?

...

"Does it not unnerve You, Baba?" Her voice failed her, and it seemed the Beghum Nikhat Alia of Kashmir was a small child again, back into the depths of darkness.  
"No." He sighed as he spoke; it was a content sigh.  
"No?"  
"I, and this world, both have lived and seen too much, Sahiba. Death does not scare me." In a voice no more than a whisper, he added,  
"No more pain."  
"But, Baba, whatever is coming, it has to be, it must be stopped!"  
"Why else do You think the Great and Glorious Allah showed it to me, Alia?"  
"What would You have me do?"  
"Send emissaries and messages to all you can. The Rani of Bihar, the Asuris of Andhra, the Gaikwads of Baroda, the Nawab of Kolkata, the Changs of Assam, and all the others You know.. Go now, and remember, inform only those that know Jaadu. None else. Let the commons live in peace."  
"Of course, Baba."  
The Beghum got up, and turned to leave, when the hermit called out,  
"Alia.."  
"Yes?" She turned.  
"Inform the Patils of Maratha, first."  
"The Queer Patils?"  
"Yes."  
"At once."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to hear your comments!


	4. Tridents and Questions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter may feel a little slow, but that's how it is, and I hope you people like it.

No one knew how deep the Ancestors' Mouth was. The narrowest of the seven sacred pools on the mountain, the Ancestors' Mouth was the most sacred. It was here that they were now, thirteen of them, in the middle of the night, for this is when the Gift is the strongest.

Not all mayans were born with the Gift, and those that were, were scattered amongst four mountain tribes. One week ago, all thirteen of them had received visions from the Creator, Itzamnah. The Elder called to them, and they met, and it was decided that these two beings, these bringers of Death, must be sacrificed to the Itzamnah, whose very existence this evil union threatened.

"The greatest and the first of all that are worshipped, O Itzamnah, hear our prayers, and bless our cause, for life and light of your warm womb is being threatened. Lend power to our spells and open the pathways for the means of our salvation."

Having said the prayer, the Elder then kneeled at the very edge of the Mouth, placing his open palms on the grassy earth, and five others knelt the same way, forming a circle around the Mouth, while the rest kneeled behind them, placing their hands on the shoulders of the ones in front. The Elder commenced the ritual, as he began to sway rhythmically, in tune with the words he uttered. The others picked up his rhythm, and followed what he said.

Out of nowhere, drums began to beat, and sounds, not human in any manner, began to wail, and a misty, milky vapour with a blue glow about it began to flow out from the Mouth, pooling around their hands and knees.

They could feel the vapour and the grass blades biting at their knuckles and knees, and beads of sweat and blood dripped from their bodies, though not one wound they had.

A trident, blood-red, barely solid, formed out of thin air above their heads in the center of the pool, turned to a sickening bluish-green, and went flying into the milky breath of the Mouth. The voices that said the spells shivered and thinned with pain, and yet, the ritual did not stop.

Another trident appeared, and disappeared down into the mist, and then another. The swaying picked up in pace, and their words began to flow out in a rubble, and someone was screaming, and the tridents kept forming and vanishing into the blue glow of vapour, faster and faster.

Clear words began to give way to painful whimpers, then to scrams, and there was a sudden blast from within the Mouth, and they all were thrown back, as if some great explosion of breath blew them away. When they came to their senses, it was a moonless night and even the creatures of the forest were quiet.

"We have failed. Prepare to meet with the fools in MACUSA."

...

Harry's brain went into a hyperdrive as he extracted his wand out of his pocket and cast a shield charm around them in the fraction of a second, even as his left hand moved to support Draco, preventing him from falling hard on the ground as he rested on Harry's shoulder.

"No, no, no, no, no.."

Harry held Draco, and it seemed Draco's body had shut off the pain, as he looked at Harry with dazed, confused eyes. That would mean the trident was quite deep inside. There were tears in Harry's eyes as he heard a loud crash, and saw another trident crashing on the shield he'd cast. He could still not see who was throwing them. He couldn't afford wasting any time, and he had to get help, or else.. no. He wouldn't even think about it. One crash followed the other continuously, and he had no chance of fighting off whoever was attacking them.

The shield won't hold long.

He couldn't disapparate, with Draco wounded, he didn't know what would happen. He could try the spell Snape had once used to help Draco, but he couldn't really take a chance. He had to think, and think fast. Another trident crashed on the shield.

That's it. This is my only chance.

...

Minevra McGonagall was studying the Headmasters' journals that crowded the bookshelves in her room. As the Headmistress, it was her duty to know things, to be more than able to run this giant institution of a school, and these journals helped. Suddenly, a silver stag emerged out of nothingness, in the center of her office, and it said, in Harry Potter's voice,

"Help. Urgent. Draco, wounded, in Hogsmeade."

Minevra immediately got up, took her wand, and touching its tip to the Patronus, disapparated.

...

Harry heard a crack. McGonagall had come. She looked at them, then heard another trident crash, and turned in that direction. He looked at Draco, who was still looking at him, but it was hard to figure out what his silver eyes said.

"Hold on, okay?" He whispered.

He didn't know what McGonagall did, but after a few seconds, she was kneeling besides him, and then he felt like he was being pushed through a microscopic tube, and he could feel Draco somewhere near him, and then they were in the Hospital wing, and he was on the floor, holding Draco, who was still looking at him, unfallen tears in his eyes.

"Let's place him on the bed, Potter", said McGonagall, and Harry snapped into reality, and lifted Draco, with as much care as he could, with the help of McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey. He refused to leave Draco's side when McGonagall suggested they leave, so that madam Pomfrey may attend to him. He didn't care if he was being arrogant, he wasn't leaving till he made sure his Draco was fine.

The only thing his eyes saw were silver eyes, glossed over by tears. He could feel his hand in Draco's, and the tears in his own eyes, and it was impossible for him to feel or think of anything else. It was only when Draco's eyes closed that he looked up, at Madam Pomfrey, who was preparing something in a white bowl, by Draco's side.

"He will be all right," she said, not looking up from the wooden bowl in her hand, "he is just asleep now. You can leave," she glanced for a split second at him, "if you want to."

He didn't reply. He saw that the trident was gone, and Draco's clothes had been torn away, and a wide, angry red mark was where a wound should have been, contrasting against his milky white chest. There were other scars on his chest, a little darker than the skin around, and another tear fell from Harry's eye.

Madam Pomfrey proceeded to apply a thick, blue paste on the bloody mark, and McGonagall tapped Harry on his shoulder. Reluctantly, he lifted Draco's hand, kissed it, removed his hand from Draco's, wiped his tears on the sleeve of his shirt, and walked over to a corner of the wide hall.

"Yes, Headmistress McGonagall?" He said, his voice strangely thin.

"Harry," said McGonagall, and he could see that she was having difficulty absorbing his strange affection towards Draco; she didn't know how to say what she wanted to.

"I have seen to it," she began, actively forming the sentences as she spoke, "that Mr. Malfoy will be perfectly fine by tomorrow. Now, I understand your state of mind.."

"Prof.. Headmistress, McGonagall, I really don't know who attacked us, or why, or where they were..."

"...this isn't really the place to discuss these things, Potter," she cut him off, and he was puzzled as to why she had summoned him, then, as she continued, "I have summoned all the students back to the castle, and will be meeting with all the staff in half an hour, in my office. I expect you to be there." Her eyes strayed away to Draco's bed as she said the last part.

"I must know, Harry, were you.."

"...we were on a date.. with each other."

"Oh." Her eyebrows raised just a snitch, and then her eyes moved to Draco, and then she placed a hand on Harry's shoulder, squeezed it reassuringly, and said, "He will be fine by tomorrow."

Harry nodded.

"Well go on, then," she said, and turned and walked away.

"Headmistress?" Harry called out, and she turned.

"Thanks."

She smiled, turned and resumed.

...

Harry did not leave Draco's bedside for a moment, and simply watched Draco breathe in and breathe out in peace. When it was time to meet with the teachers, though, he had to leave. As he walked towards the Headmistress' office, he heard someone call out his name from behind, and turned. It was Prof. Brandon Diggory, the kind Gryffindor House teacher. Harry smiled at him, and he fell into step with Harry with a smile. When they entered the Headmistress' office, they were second to last, with Prof. Slughorn coming in the last of them all. When they were all seated, Headmistress McGonagall spoke up.

"All of you know of the incident that occurred at Hogsmeade, but only my view of it, which is why, Harry, tell them what happened, and how."

All the grown up eyes were on Harry. He swallowed, and said,

"I am not really sure, what happened, but we-me and Draco- were walking through an alley in Hogsmeade, on the way to meet our friends," he could see Prof. Slughorn exchange a glance with Prof. Flitwick, and Hagrid seemed beyond surprise, as he continued, "when a trident flew in.. from nowhere. I did not see who threw or conjured it."

Slughorn was about to say something, when McGonagall nodded, and spoke up.

"Now, the trident we extracted from Mr. Malfoy's chest was poisoned, but it wasn't what a traditional poison is. It was a poison formed out of.."

".. ritual," said Slughorn, horrified, "Headmistress, do you realise how grave the situation is?"

"I completely do, Horace," said McGonagall, slightly irritated at the interruption, "and that is why this is a matter of such importance. Now, if I may continue, the source of this trident was a Labyrinth, the kind of worm hole that is impossible to trace. I had to close it from behind the shield, given the risk to the lives of the students, which is why I do not know exactly where the weapon came from. It is general knowledge that such rituals are performed by tribes in Africa, Burma, India, and the Americas. The trident had curved arms, which points to India, or Burma." Prof. Flitwick was about to speak, but McGonagall went on, making it clear from her tone that she is not to be interrupted until she says she is finished, 

"What is also general knowledge, is that the Malfoys are immune to all poisons known to man," her glance drifted to Harry, "which means, the attackers did not know who they wanted to kill, which makes the motive behind this act a mystery. The trident had to be destroyed as soon as it was removed from Mr. Malfoy's body, owing to its powerful nature. Now that I have informed you of all there is to know, you may speak your minds."

"Madam Headmistress," said Prof. Flitwick, "the magical communities of the Mayans of the Americas and the Vedics of India, have been connected since thousands of years, so the structure of the trident could point to the Mayans, too, in my opinion." McGonagall appeared to be thinking over what had been said, and Slughorn was nodding, when Prof. Diggory added,

"But then, the fire rituals of Indian traditional magic cannot produce poison under any circumstances, because fire, a purifier, destroys such poisons. I cannot say much about the spirit-based Burman traditional magic, but I do think that the dark magic they have there is of a completely different sort than what we have encountered here."

"If I may," said Slughorn, studying Harry with curious eyes, "I want to ask Harry here, Harry, we all know you and the Malfoy lad don't really see eye-to-eye. Now, to reach a conclusion, we need to know where exactly you were, and what were you doing with Mr. Malfoy."

All eyes were back on Harry. His palms were sweating; he'd never loved being in the spotlight. McGonagall was about to answer for him, when he said,

"We were on the way to meet Ron and Hermione, sir, my friends, from our first date, which was at what he called the Blackswann's place."

He had not known silence such as the kind that spread into the Headmistress' office then. Hagrid, Slughorn and Prof. Sprout had their moths wide open, Prof. Flitwick seemed to have frozen in the act of cleaning his glasses, his shocked face towards Harry, and Prof. Diggory was surprised at this shocked reaction by his colleagues, and Madam Hooch said, "that's mighty brave of you, Potter!"

The meeting was dispersed, and the only conclusions reached were the decision to ban all Hogsmeade visits in the month, and to inform the Ministry of Magic regarding the security of Hogsmeade, and to look into the Mayan tribes. After the teachers went away, giving him a smile, or a nod, or a skeleton-crushing hug in case of Hagrid, Harry stayed behind. Headmistress McGonagall turned to him, raising her eyebrows. He had to struggle to find his words. He was quite close to McGonagall, and yet, he had never talked to his former House teacher about these things before.

"Ma'am, this is, this may sound strange, but I keep thinking that the trident was meant for me, but hit.. it.." he dropped his head.

"So you're telling me you feel guilty?"

"No, Professor, it's.. I've.. see, this wasn't a coincidence.. we've.."

"Did you see how clearly in the chest it hit him, the trident? It was clearly meant for him, at least that one." She looked at him with concern, placing a hand on his head.

"Ah, why does everyone on this Earth want to kill you?"

He sighed and smiled together.

"You know, the night I gave the four of you detention, back in your first year," she said, smiling, "I remember looking at you and Malfoy, and thinking that no two people were as opposite."

She let out a long breath, a tired smile on her face, saying, 

"So, how long have you and.."

"Oh, this was really our first date. I.. I had never, ever thought of him that way before.. ever.. It all began after the Battle, really."

"After the day you destroyed the Paradox with him?"

"Yes." He could feel the heat in his face as he said it. The smile on McGonagall's face, however, disappeared.

"You go on, now," she said, and added, "and Potter? Draco will be fine. The same, I think, cannot be said for you. I have warned Ms. Granger against helping you with your homework. Give my regards to the Gargoyle as you go."

...

"Oh, what am I going to do, Albus?"

Minevra McGonagall stood facing the large portrait of the great Hogwarts Headmaster, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. She already had a big challenge managing this school, and now, in the second week of her first year as a Headmistress, a student had been attacked.

"I have sent messages to the Ministry, to MACUSA, to the Indian Magicians' Union, and to the Burman Ministry of Magic, but what about these two boys? Why would people from other countries try to kill two students? And all of this.. this attraction between them, I fear it has something to do with... the Paradox."

"Do you see the small bookshelf near the Iron Owl, Minevra? There's quite an interesting book there, the kind you despise."

The innocent smile on the painted face annoyed her.

She summoned it with a flick of her wand, put on her glasses, and read the title. 'Mistress Death and The Paradox of the Paradox.'

"Yes, Albus, I went through it after the Malfoy incident.. the first one.. this is all hypothetical things, not one hard fact this book has!"

"Read me the title of the Chapter 7, if you will, Minevra."

"Beautiful Pathos: Union of the Opposites."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was this too little of action going on? Should I cut back the abstract parts, like description of the Mayan Magic in this chapter, for instance? Let me know!


	5. Earthquake!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy come out to Ron and Hermione, and then to the whole world. Things heat up between the two, and what's this- an earthquake!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit long, and has some sexual content.

"The boy who finally showed up!"

An angry Hermione waited for Harry at the door of his room.

"We've been going crazy worrying about you, Harry! And what's all this red on your chest? Harry, it's blood, it's dried blood! Oh, why do you always have blood on your clothes? This is supposed to stop now, this is.."

"It has only been two hours or so, Hermione," Harry said, as calm as if he was talking about the elves' rights with her, "and we have bigger things to worry about, so you better sit."

He walked in, brushing aside the annoyed ginger casually, flopped down on his bed, and gestured towards Ron's bed, looking at Hermione. Ron was on his bed, inscribing something on his enchanted Galleon(all members of the DA had one) with his wand.

"Sit."

Ron threw the Galleon and his wand aside, leaned in, and Hermione sat besides him, both studying Harry closely.

"So, this is hard to explain..."

"...excellent opening, by the way.." Ron said, grinning, but the way Harry and Hermione looked at him shut him up, and Harry continued.

"Okay, I wish he was here with me to tell you this, but.."

Harry didn't know how tell them about the whole thing that happened earlier the same day, without telling them about him and Draco. It was the secret of them both, after all.

"..okay so.. I cannot tell you this because it wouldn't be right by.."

"Harry," said Hermione, who had thankfully gotten over her mad worries, stretched out her hand and held Harry's, squeezing it.

"How about I tell you what we've heard?" Ron said.

"What?" Harry said, looking at Ron, and then at Hermione, puzzled.

"We've heard that you and Malfoy got into a fight, in Hogsmeade, and that you injured him pretty bad. Like, seriously bad," said Ron.

Harry couldn't tell if Ron was happy at that, or if he was just happy that they both were going back to their "normal selves".

"A fourth year asked me if you had killed Malfoy," said Hermione, grinning, and then she became suddenly serious, "wait, you didn't, right?"

Harry chuckled, saying, "seriously, who starts these rumours? And no, that's not what happened. Why would I harm Draco?"

Ron and Hermione exchanged a look, a micro-conversation if you will, and Ron said, "So? What happened?"

"You know what," said Harry, looking into his watch, "I'll take you with me, and you can see for yourself. Give me five minutes to wash this all off."

"What?" said Ron, "No! We can't wait that long, it'll kill me!"

"Let it kill you for five more minutes, then," Harry said, getting up and disappearing behind the bathroom door.

"Draco? What's that about?" whispered Hermione. Ron put an arm around her, shrugging.

"I let the others know that he was alright."

"Do you think Ginny and he will.."

"No. The last time we talked about it, she said it won't work. Said Harry's changed. If he really is, I must be blind."

"Teaspoon," said Hermione, a wide smile on her face, and added, "They get along quite well, though.."

Harry walked in, and Hermione stopped talking, and Ron stopped listening, as both looked at him. His shoulder-length hair was tied back in a silver dragonhead clasp, and for once, it wasn't all messy. Not one strand broke free to ride the wind on its own will.

He had taken care as to how he looked while dressing, now that Draco was about to wake from his potion-induced sleep, and Harry using spells to tidy himself up was apparently as unnatural as a unicorn without a horn.

"What's happened to you?" That was Ron.

"Oh, Harry, you look good!" That, Hermione.

...

The trio walked towards the Hospital wing, and it was mere hours before the sun would set. When they were at the door, Harry told them to wait there while he checked "something".

He entered the hall, and Draco was asleep, and someone occupied another bed, in the far corner. He walked over to the bed of his.. boyfriend(really?), and he couldn't believe how beautiful he looked for someone who had been poisoned. His long hair was dishevelled, and a mischievous lock strayed over his left eye, and it raised and fell as he breathed peacefully. He brushed aside the silver lock from the beautiful face, and lovingly placed his hand on Draco's forehead, and moved it back over his hair, gentle so as not to wake him up. Draco's hand was on his chest, while the other was to his side, where he'd left it as he had gone to meet with the teachers. He noticed that Draco was in his pajamas, and a thin sheet covered him to his chest.

...

"What do you think he's doing?"

"No idea. Hey! Don't peek! Seriously Ron!"

"Well how long should we wait?"

"As long as our friend wants us to."

"Sometimes I hate you."

"Believe me, love, the feeling, is mutual."

Ron chuckled, pulled his beloved closer, and planted a kiss on her lips. She smiled.

...

Draco opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was Harry, looking at his watch with narrowed eyes, and he smiled. He lifted his hand, took Harry's hand in his, as his surprised love looked up.

"I love you," he said, and Harry moved in and kissed him, and there was more to it than what he'd known from their touches before. More depth, more fear, more vulnerability, more love.

When they separated, Harry's eyes were wet, and he said,

"You know, now that you're fine, it.. it seems okay, but, but, what if you.. oh, what's happening to us?"

"This is what love is, then, perhaps.." said Draco, grinning.

Harry chuckled, wiping his eyes.

"I love you."

Having said that, he just let it seep in, and let bliss run its course through his body as he sat watching the silver eyes and then realised with a jolt that his best friends were waiting outside, for quite a while.

"Hey, there's something I need to tell you," he said, "or ask you, or.."

"Yes?"

"So you see, we agreed to not keep this a secret, right?" Harry reached over, and took Draco's hand in his own.

"Yes, as far as I can remember."

"So, Ron and Hermione are here, and WE are going to tell them."

"Oh, no! No, no, no, no, no! They're your friends, you.. no, I won't.. you listen here very carefully, Potter, I won't be.."

"Why?" Harry was grinning.

"Well.. it's awkward!"

"All right then."

He left his lover's side to call his friends in, despite the fact that Draco kept calling him back, threatening him, all in a low voice, of course.

"Hey, I'm back!"

"What, were you kissing him?" Ron said, and Hermione punched him on the arm in response, and they didn't see the flicker of blush on Harry's face.

"Come on in, then." He said, and turned away as fast as he could, opening the door, all the while thinking about how Draco was right, and how very truly awkward this was all about to be. They followed him to the bed, and Draco Malfoy appeared to be fast asleep, in response to which, Harry rolled his eyes and sent a weak pricking jinx his way, and even as silver eyes opened in a shock, he said with poisonous sweetness, "Hey, Draco, wake up!"

There were daggers and swords in the way Draco looked at his lover, and Hermione turned to Ron, and once again they had one of their micro-conversations.

"Hello, Malfoy" said Ron, for whom this was obviously the most awkward situation. Harry could see his ears were just a little flushed.

"Hello, Mr. Weasley," said Draco with a wide smile and a honeyed tone, "Hello, Miss Granger. How are you today?"

Ron looked at Hermione, and they both looked at Harry, completely weirded out. Now Harry looked at Draco, and there were fires and earthquakes in the way he looked at his lover.

"Tell them, Harry dear," said Draco, smiling devilishly.  
Harry looked from Draco to Ron and Hermione, and pinched the bridge of his nose. Draco finally pitied him, and said, "Hey, come here."

Harry moved closer, and Ron watched his friend obey Malfoy's command with hawk-like eyes, and Hermione's eyes widened. Draco sat up, took Harry's hand in his, and said,

"So, we love each other."

"Merlin's bloody bollocks, Harry!" Ron's eyes were wide as saucers, his mouth hung open, and his ears went from level 1 flushed to level 7 in a second.

Hermione was surprised, from before the moment Draco said it, because she saw how they looked at each other when the Malfoy called Harry closer, and she knew, in that moment, but her surprise was largely in the large head of hers, as opposed to her beloved's.

"Yes, Ron, Hermione, I love him." Harry looked down at Draco, and he could see that Draco was enjoying himself.

"How? Bloody hell, how on Earth can you like.."

"..me?" Draco finished Ron's question for him, his sneer icy.

"Now that that's out of the way, I need to tell you what's even more important." Harry said, as he sat down near Draco, gesturing the both of them to sit on the bed next to his. It was a wonder Madam Pomfrey hadn't come in yet, to throw them out of the room. The other couple sat, and leaned in to listen better.

"So, remember how I'd said I was meeting up with you two at Honeydukes this noon? Well, I was bringing Draco with me, and we were on our way when... when Draco, was attacked." Draco squeezed his hand, and he narrated the rest of what had happened, to the three.

"Harry," said Draco, "Hogsmeade is very, very well protected, and only marked people can enter Hogsmeade through apparition, right?"

"But its not the kind of magic that Hogsmeade is protected against, is it?" Hermione said, "our security systems fail when faced against other kinds of magic, like Elf magic, or in this case, some tribal, ritualistic form of it."

"So who do you think did it, then," Ron asked.

"I don't know, I'll have to search..."

She was interrupted by Madam Pomfrey's loud voice, asking them as to how in the seven hells did they enter without her permission, or how they dared sit on one of the beds, and then she lamented over the fact that she would have to cleanse it, and then she saw Draco was up, and hurried to his side. She checked his pulse and temperature, and said,

"Thank Merlin for the potion these Malfoys feed their newborns. You're free to leave, Mr. Malfoy, and you three," she said, her eyes narrowed, "can wait outside."

"Madam Pomfrey," said Draco charmingly, "I think I might need someone to help me out. Can Harry Potter stay, please?"

"It saddens me to say that you are perfectly fine to walk over to the changing room, and change by yourself, Mr. Malfoy, and however I hate myself for it, I must ask your 'friend' to wait outside."

Ron dragged Hermione and Harry out of the room quick as a lightning, after hearing that. Perhaps he happened to have the misfortune of imagining his friend with Malfoy, in inappropriate ways. Accidents can leave some ugly scars.

"And I thought Madam Pomfrey was incapable of humour," said Hermione.

Harry had to laugh, because focusing on the present made it easier not to picture what Draco must have had on his mind. He was a little more than a little disappointed.

"So you and Malfoy?" Said Hermione.

Harry shrugged, his cheeks red. "Honestly, I can't believe it either."

"I can." Harry looked at her, so did Ron, as if wondering how on Earth was Hermione capable of such heathen a act.

"The two of you are perfect opposites. The perfect match," she said, her eyes drifting to Ron.

"You're okay with this, eh Ron?" Harry asked tentatively. He was a little worried at Ron's reaction from the beginning, and now he could see Ron wasn't particularly happy about it.

"Oh, yeah, mate," said Ron, "well.. I never thought of you being a Samithan so it's a bit shocking.. not that that means I care," he added quickly.

Hermione moved in and kissed him, a wide smile on her face. He looked at her in surprise, to which she responded with a shrug. The door opened and Draco walked out, over to Harry, instantly entwining his hand in his. Ron and Hermione separated from their half-hug, not really comfortable being close in front of 'the Malfoy'.

"It's close to dinner time," said Draco, not allowing an awkward silence to settle in, and looking from Ron to Hermione, and then, to his Harry, "to the Great hall, then?"

"To the Great Hall." Said Harry, and the four of them began walking, Harry's hand in Draco's, for the whole wide world to see.

...

"The Gryffindor table is for the Gryffindors, Harry Potter," said Draco, exasperated, rolling his eyes.

Even he found it hard to separate from the touch of his beloved, but there has to be a limit to everything. He didn't care that the people all around were stealing glances, pointing, and definitely talking about the both of them, but he cared if he would be made to eat with people that would much rather see him choke.

"Hermione, is there a hard, strict rule about that?"

"Well there isn't-"

"See?"

"But, Harry, you're being... Hermione dear, why don't you and Ron join your mates that are staring at us, and I'll send him in a moment?"

"What, no!" said Harry even before the embarrassed Hermione could fathom what had been said to her, "why don't you understand? I saw a fucking trident being buried in your chest, right before my eyes, on this very day if you remember, Draco Malfoy, and I'll be damned before I let you out of my reach, ever again."

Draco, seeing no other option, dragged Harry out of the Great Hall, into a quiet corner.

"See, you can't believe how turned on I am by this side of you," Draco said, holding Harry by his shoulders, "but Harry, you can't be close to me every second, can you? We don't know why someone attacked me, and I'm about to face the teachers tomorrow regarding the same, and we don't know if they'll attack again, but we can't have you falling apart like this everytime we are to spend some time away, do you understand?"

"But you said it yourself! They may attack.."

He was silenced by a warm, wet kiss, and he allowed his legs to turn to jelly as Draco held him close.

"If they attack again, we have a hall full of people to notice the first sign of danger, and we have McGonagall. Come on now, I'm starving."

"Me too," he said, kissing the other boy again, all hungry, tongue and teeth.

When they finally made it to the Hall, the last few people were entering, and those, too, looked at them and talked. Harry reluctantly let Draco's fingers slip from his, and even while keeping one eye pinned on Draco, went over to sit in his place besides Ron, now on the farthest side of the Great Hall, closer to the entrance, now that they were in their seventh, well technically eighth, but they only spent six years, so.. now that it was their LAST year at Hogwarts. Ginny, who sat in front of him, was listening to Parvati talking about some Wizards' Meet held in India, and when she looked up at him, she smiled widely, and mouthed the words 'poor choice' to him. Ginny would be with him, no matter what.

Draco walked over to his place, besides Pansy and received a look from Blaise that said, 'Really? That was the guy you chose to snog?', whereas Pansy was her usual self, minus the groping and touching.

"Hey, Pants," said he, "you're okay with.."

"...what, you being a Samithan, or you betraying me to fuck Mr. Chosen Potty there? In both cases, the answer is, yes, completely. It does hurt, and it hurts bad, but then, it's easy getting over someone as narcissistic as you," she joked, "I'm just mad you didn't think I was worth coming out to."

"You don't know how much I love you right now. And I was struggling with it myself, so telling you was the next step, but then things happened, and I jumped from the first to the third."

"I do, actually. Know how much you love me. So tell us why Potter tried to kill you."

...

"Go on, then," he said to Ron and Hermione, "I'll make sure he's okay, and meet you back in the Common Room."

"Sure", said Ron, and he took Hermione by the arm, she locked it in his, and the couple walked away.

"Do you think we're anywhere as cute as they are?" said Draco behind him.

"Hey," he said, leaning in to kiss Draco.

"Ew."

He turned to see Pansy Parkinson making a puke face.

"Hello, Potter."

"Hello, Parkinson."

"I hate you."

"I don't care."

"Come on, darling," said Draco, his face desperately trying to conceal the grin he was grinning inside, "let's be away before the wands are drawn."

"I'm reporting you if you bring him a stair into our section," they heard behind them.

Harry swooped in for another, wetter kiss in response. Draco simply enjoyed himself.

"So where are we headed?" Draco asked.

"You'll see."

Minutes later, they were climbing the steps that led to the Astronomy Tower.

"We can't be out of bed for long, you know?"

"Oh, I know, but I happen to have an accurate knowledge of Filtch's rounds around the castle, and I know he won't be coming here today, and so we can talk, without being stared at by the whole school."

"Is that all it is, then?" Draco said. "Talking?"

"Who knows?"

They kissed.

Once they were on the top, Draco proceeded to move the lever, and the conical ceiling of the tower turned so brilliantly transparent that it seemed there wasn't a ceiling at all. The night sky was surprisingly clear, and they could see into the endless depths of the sky, in which stars seemed to be suspended. Harry looked up, and then looked at Draco. They both grinned, and then chuckled, and then laughed. It seemed as if all his inner joy had finally found freedom, and it expressed itself in presence of the one person that caused it- Draco Malfoy.

Harry took Draco's hand in his, and they sat against the stone half-wall of the tower, in a corner. This was where Harry had seen the truth of who Draco Malfoy was, at least back then. This was where Dumbledore had sacrificed himself, where Snape had helplessly killed Dumbledore, where Draco Malfoy had lowered his wand by a tiny centimeter.

"I'm so happy," said Harry. "I.. you know.. all my life, I've never felt like I've belonged.. anywhere. But you, I don't know if this is just me being stupid, or romantic, but you are home, for me."

Draco smiled and squeezed Harry's hand.

"It feels good to hold your hand. It feels right. I don't care, anymore, if it befits a Malfoy to be.. You know, if you can love me after all I've done to you, after all my family has done to you, I can take a thousand tridents in the heart, just to kiss you once."

Harry turned, seeing his lover as if he was seeing him for the first time. The moonlight lent his face an ethereal beauty, and his silver hair looked white, strangely beautiful. He found the silver eyes, and he felt hands trace their path to his cheeks, and then his glasses were being drawn, and were being placed on the half-wall. The hand that held his lover's, opened, and their open palms touched each other, a delicate, and yet, more intimate of a touch. Their other hands found each other the same way. They looked at their hands, and at each other, and they leaned in, and their foreheads touched, and they could see love, in green and in silver.

Their hands travelled from the other's forearms, to arms, then shoulders, and then the back of the neck, and both of them undid the other's hair clasps, and let the silver pieces fell to the stony floor with a soft clink as they let their fingers get lost in thick curls.

"Can I kiss you?" 

"Give it a go."

Their fingers found the back of the other's head, and their faces moved closer, and their lips touched. A hand descended from silver rivers to roam over a strong back, eased and gentle in its stroll, while another moved from darkness onto a thumping chest, layed flat against it, hearing all it said.

Draco could feel the warmth of Harry's chest, and he could feel how loudly his lover's heart sang. He kissed deeply, opening up his lips, letting a warm tongue intrude and the fire that that one action changed everything in the way they touched each other.

The hand that hovered over Draco's back pressed against it, his hand seemed to respond to the quakes it felt on Harry's chest, and even as he pulled his lover closer with the hand that was on the back of his head, he felt the same being done to him. Their hands went everywhere then. His travelled from Harry's built chest, to his stomach, then over his back, his strong shoulders, his hands, and he was being touched everywhere by his love, his shoulders, his neck, his cheeks, his hair, his back, his waist, his stomach, his chest, and then his forearms and his hands, and their hands had met each other again, and they held each other, strongly this time, heat radiating to and fro between them.

Draco broke their kiss to trace his lips along the defined jawline, and Harry's hair was pulled, and he was being kissed, and he saw the sky, pristine stars being blanketed by dark clouds here and there. And then a sudden shiver went through him, followed by a jolt, as he felt wet warmth on his neck, followed by an unanticipated bite. He brought down his raised face, denying Draco's mouth the access to his neck, instead claiming his lips.

Thee was no blue on Draco's face now, his eyes, his hair, his hands, all was dark, and some occasional raindrop would make a little sound, as it would crash on the ceiling above them. Draco's fingers slithered up Harry's chest and deftly began working the buttons on his shirt, and he followed the suit, while they hung on to each other's lips for dear life. They tore open each other's shirts and let them fall to the floor, and heard a loud rumble of clouds, as rain began a thrilling song on the transparent ceiling.

There came a moment when they wanted to see each other, but the darkness won't allow it, and they just pulled each other close in a tight embrace, choosing to see with the touch.

Draco whimpered as Harry pulled his hair and began an assault on his exposed neck, sending lightning bolts in his bloodstream. He could feel wet kisses and bites travel down his neck, over his chest blades to his chest, and as Harry bit his nipple, they heard a deafening thunder up in the heavens, and Draco's eyes shot open, and he saw a sky lit with a lightning, and rain crashing on glass, as Harry saw all the scars that painted his lover's chest, in one small moment of short-lived lightning. Harry kept biting and then licking, and this assault on the sensitive place continued, and Draco's manhood stained against his pants, and he could feel it rub against that of his lover's, and the friction, and the biting, and the floor was shaking, and yet he held Harry close, one of his hands in Harry's hair, and the other on his butt, and Harry moved to the other nipple, and the shaking was increasing, but Draco would be the last person to notice, when Harry Potter was pleasuring him so.

Harry suddenly stopped, and Draco looked down in frustration, and saw the panic in his eyes, and that was when he realised that the floor was SHAKING.

An earthquake?

The both of them communed with each other in a moment, and their wands were drawn, together, and protective enchantments were being cast around them, in the shape of a sphere that covered the whole corner they sat in, and some part of it stretched out into the air, over the half-wall. They held each other close, shirtless and feeling utterly vulnerable, as thunder rumbled over them, lightning went mad with its dazzling fires, and the Tower continued to shake. Draco huddled closer to Harry, and they held each other tight, and some lamps and apparatus came crashing down on their spherical shield. The shaking went on for a minute or two, and then stopped.

Draco got up from their embrace, picked Harry's glasses from the half-wall, as Harry undid the protective sphere. He and put the glasses on his lover's nose, and then they found and wore their clothing.

"I don't understand," said Harry, buttoning his shirt.

"Me neither."

When they descended down and walked out onto the hallway, they heard some commotion in the Great Hall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know if this was too big, or anything else you feel about this.


	6. Dreams and Mysteries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy are summoned by the Ministry. Is that the Beghum of Kashmir there, next to Mr. Patil?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I guess I'll soon have to change the tag of this work, after I finish it of course.

They ran side by side, descending the staircases even as they shifted places, and finally they were at the entrance of the Great Hall, when they heard McGonagall's voice.

"..will be leading the respective houses back to the dormitories.."

Harry found Hermione and Ron in a corner, grabbed Draco's hand and walked over to them through the crowd. Some of his fellow mates had dust in their hair, some had red scratches here and there.

"What happened," Harry said, "it was an earthquake, right? Did McGonagall say how it happened?"

"No," said Ron. "We only got here fifteen minutes ago. All she's done is make Prefects inspect injuries and send people to Hospital wing if need be."

"Earthquake.. so abnormal.. the Slytherins were quite shaken," said Hermione, her eye strictly on Harry, "their dormitories being in the dungeons, it must've been frightening."

Fortunately, they didn't ask what the two boys were up to, and neither did Harry.

"Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy," McGonagall was saying in a loud voice, looking in their direction, "you are expected to be in my office by nine in the morning. Now, everyone, once again, the emergency protocol is in effect, and the castle has been secured. Prefects may escort the students back now."

"What's that now?" Ron said, utterly bewildered, looking from Harry to Hermione, hoping for an explanation.

"It's regarding my little trident accident," said Draco, looking exclusively at Harry. "Although, only I was supposed to meet her, not you, Harry."

Harry put his hand on his lover's shoulder.

"This isn't some accident," said Hermione, "look how worried McGonagall looks. Harry this is.. Hogwarts is quite well-protected, even against natural calamities, including small earthquakes, which are still, quite rare, so the effect this one had on the castle is.. abnormal."

"This bloody day's cursed!" Ron exclaimed, his ears red. He seemed very agitated by the disturbance this earthquake had created.

"So should we go now?" Draco asked, looking from Ron to Hermione quickly, staying on Harry.

A very uncomfortable silence spread between them. It was clear Ron would be sleeping in Hermione's room, convenient given that she had a room to herself, but no one wanted to acknowledge it, given that they hadn't talked about it to Harry yet, and Ron would simply sneak out in the nights, and a whole other layer of embarrassment was added now that Draco Malfoy was here.

"I have a room to myself," said Draco, all red-faced and focused only on Harry, "and it's the topmost in the Slytherin Section."

"Yeah, let's go. 'Night, guys."

He was dragged out of there before his friends even said 'good night' in response. One of these days, he's got to learn how to talk to his best friends about them having sex.

...

"I need pyjamas to change into."

Harry Potter had stepped out of his shoes, and was removing his socks as he looked up at his lover.

"Do you?"

Draco's smile was sinful as he kissed him.

"I sleep naked. My roof, my rules."

"I love your rules."

Harry kissed him. He pushed Draco back, one, two three, four, five steps, and Draco's knees hit the bed, and he flopped down on it.

"I love you," Harry said, kissing him.

He removed his glasses, placing them on the side-stand. He extracted his wand from his pants, and put it next to his glasses. Draco watched, and Harry stood up, and unbuttoned his shirt, slowly. There wasn't lust in Draco's eyes as they followed each button, looking on each inch of skin revealed. This was the first time he would see his love as he was- whole and true and naked, nothing between the two of them obscuring the truth. The shirt fell to the floor and Harry's hands moved to unbutton his pants. His eyes were fixed on Draco's as he bent and removed them.

There was a weird heat to this moment, not one bit sexual, and Harry's heart beat fast and loud- Draco could surely hear it. For a second Harry's being filled with an incomprehensible terror, and then he bent removed his underwear. Draco's eyes stayed on his, and then lowered slowly, watching him. His manhood lay heavy but limp, and his toes were curling with nervous energy as Draco's eyes went lower than his chest, lower than his torso, his waist, his member, his thighs, down finally to his toes.

Draco's eyes found his again, and he got up from the bed, walked to Harry, put his hand behind his head and unclipped his silver hair clasp, letting his hair fall to his shoulders in thick, dark curls. He ran his hands, just the fingertips tracing gently, through the hair, down over his shoulders, through his arms to his hands, and held them, and he pulled him towards him, walking back, silver eyes never leaving emerald ones.

He turned his lover around, let his hands go and pushed his shoulders lightly, and Harry Potter leaned back, naked on Draco Malfoy's bed, his weight supported by his hands spread out behind him, as he looked into silver depths, and felt Draco Malfoy brush a lock of dark hair away from his face.

Draco walked back two steps, never losing his lover's eyes, and unbuttoned the first button of his shirt. He then went on to remove and place his wand next to Harry's, and proceeded to the next button, and then to the next, and Harry Potter's eyes broke free of his gaze, following his fingers' path. The cufflinks were done, and the shirt fell to the floor, and a cold shiver went through him. His torso was bare open for his love to see, with all his scars and all his pain. A tear fell to the floor, and Harry's eyes went up, and a conversation happened, and all was forgiven and all was forgotten, and all was out there in the open. Draco's hands went to unbuckle his belt, and then to unbutton his pants, and Harry's eyes remained on his, a cold, burning connection between them. His pants fell to the floor with a soft clink of the belt buckle, and he stepped out of them, pushing them aside with his toe.

There was fire in his heart as it pumped blood madly, and all Draco Malfoy saw, still, were the green eyes. He traced his fingers over his scarred body down to the waistband, and removed his underwear. He stood straight up, and he could see his lover's eyes studying him, watching him, mapping every muscle and scar, and then they came up and met his eyes again. They smiled.

Draco walked over to Harry, placed his knee in the gap between Harry's spread thighs on the bed, his palm went behind Harry's ear, the thumb remained on his cheek and the other fingers lost in the raven hair, he raised up his lover's face and kissed the faint lightning scar on his forehead, and then his touched his lips for a moment, and drew back even as Harry's hand unclasped and freed his silver hair. He wanted to spend all of eternity simply looking at him, marvelling in his unearthly beautiful love.

They smiled at each other again. Harry's hand went up and wiped away the tear trail that painted his lover's face. They kissed again, and Harry leaned back even more, and Draco moved his other knee to the edge of the bed, and Harry moved further back, laying down on the bed, and Draco laid over him, and still they kissed. No urgency, no desperate manhoods yearning for friction. A simple, delicate touch. Hands went everywhere on the naked bodies, and skin saw what eyes had, moments ago. Time went on and eyes closed and lips touched and they didn't even realise when they fell asleep, forehead to forehead, lip to lip.

...

He was cold, and naked, and held his hands close to his chest for little warmth, and then Draco was there, and there was warmth, and a kiss, and then there was this fire, this burning, exploding fire, all teeth and hisses and wet tongues... His feet were burning, and when he looked down, they were on solid ice, glowing blue, and then he felt- oh! He could feel a wet furnace around his member, and when he looked, Draco looked up at him, silver eyes all afire. And then there was... what a curious sensation! A finger up his.. only it was cold... too cold. And then a white-hot tongue moved over the head of his manhood, and the icy finger inside him was moving, oh, it felt so good, and oh, there was lava and waves of foamy water washed over cities, and people and animals alike were running, screaming madly, how funny... and then oh, oh yes, he was being stretched.. so painfully, so deliciously! And wet, icy lips were devouring his nipple, and lightning was striking and there was fire, and oh, Draco, oh, he moved inside him, and faster, and faster, and faster still, and a planet exploded in a blast of steaming water and cold, stony lava, and ashes, and smoke, and there was ice inside him, and fire on his lips, and...

His eyes opened in a jolt, and the first thing he saw was green eyes, terrorised. He and Harry had apparently slept facing each other. His eyes looking into Harry, he gingerly moved his hand to his pelvis, even as Harry did the same, to confirm what he already knew, and sure enough, he felt a wet stickiness there. He was hard, and had apparently come in his sleep, and so had Harry. He need only look into those eyes to know. They didn't say a word to each other, not verbally at least, for a minute, trying to comprehend what had happened. Then Harry said 'accio wand', and then cleaned the both of their naked bodies with a quick flick.

"Did you just do wandless magic?"

Harry looked at Draco in surprise, his eyes widening. He hadn't even realised it. He threw his wand away in terror and moved close to Draco, desperately clinging to him, even as Draco attempted to calm him down, all the while trying to understand what was happening. He sat up against the bedstand, and Harry was in his arms.

"Draco, what is happening to us?"

Harry would've broken down any moment. Draco moved his hand through Harry's hair, while his other hand rubbed his lover's back, trying to calm him. He kissed the lightning scar, and kept stroking through his hair, until he felt his lover's heart rate going down, and Harry moved a little back, his arms still around Draco.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Draco asked, though he knew he had. They both had.

"Yes. I'm.. this is the first one since.. that's why I was so terrified. You had one too?"

"I.. I don't know if it was a nightmare. I mean.. this is a little weird, and... you see, I saw you and me, doing things.. but.."

"I saw the same thing," Harry cut in, "only I was... you."

Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter, both could see the fear in each other's eyes as they realised they had dreamt two sides of the same dream, only what was supposed to be them in the dream, was not the body they were in. Harry dreamt that he was Draco Malfoy, making love to Harry Potter, and Draco dreamt that he was Harry Potter, making love to Draco Malfoy. What's worse, they saw lava, and earthquake, and giant waves, and people screaming..

"You know what," said Draco, "we need some sleep. We're just tired, and it was just a dream..."

"Dreams MEAN things, Draco! Why do you think I'm so.. I-I've dreamt things and they've happened, and I've dreamt.."

Draco pulled his lover close in a tight embrace, making him go quiet. The only sound was of their hearts beating with each other.

"Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm scared."

"I'm terrified."

"You see, I've never known you as anything but brave. You killed the frickin Voldemort, Harry, and still you made through. I don't believe that you are a fearless lion of Gryffindor, that you were never scared while facing him. Perhaps.. perhaps that's what bravery is about, I suppose. What we do with the fear we feel, what we choose in that one moment."

"Like you chose your father over your fear."

"Like you used the fucking expilliarmus to defeat Voldemort."

He laughed softly. Harry laughed a little, too.

"We'll get through this, Harry," Draco said, patting his lover's head, "right now, let's just sleep, and we'll talk about this to McGonagall tomorrow."

"Yes," said Harry, still holding his lover tight, "but we'll skip the part about sex."

They chuckled, and Draco said, "and the part about us sleeping together, naked."

"Yeah, probably."

...

Harry and Draco held their hands, standing in front of Headmistress McGonagall, whose first sentence to them was,

"We are to leave for the Ministry, immediately."

Their mouths fell open, and they looked at each other and closed them, and were about to say something when she continued,

"I received an owl from the Ministry, in response to the owl I sent them regarding the attack. This came in last night itself," she said, showing them the letter in her hand, "signed by Shacklebolt himself, it said that it was very important for you two to report to the Ministry the first thing this morning, and that I must escort you safely."

She rolled her eyes at the last part.

"Now, what were you two bursting to speak about?"

"Ma'am, last night," began Draco, "we had a dream, we both had the same dream.."

"..and I'm afraid we saw the end of the world." Harry finished.

McGonagall studied them both with narrowed eyes, then turned around, facing Dumbledore's portrait behind her seat. He appeared to be fast asleep. She turned back, and said,

"We will talk about it later, I assure you, but we must leave for the Ministry presently."

Even though she said it with a smile, Draco could see she was troubled.

...

"It is true, then. The Ministry does corrupt the best of us. I brought my students here because we wanted our answers. I was not informed of this! I am taking my students back, Shacklebolt, and I am never trusting you again!"

Minevra was furious, as she went forward instead of sending forth Harry and Draco, in front of the huge circular hall they were all in. What was supposed to be a small meeting turned out to be a WWM, a Worldwide Wizard's Meet, and Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy were asked to step forth.

"Headmistress McGonagall," said Kingsley Shacklebolt in what sounded to be a very helpless, pleading tone, "I understand you weren't informed, but the Ministry does not HAVE to inform you. We asked you to escort the students here, and you have, and you have our thanks. Now, please let the formal procedures begin, because we have the representatives of 177 countries here. If it helps ease your conscience, you may sit behind your students as they are questioned."

Hogwarts couldn't be shown in a bad light with so many countries looking in, and a helpless Minevra called her students in, assuming her place on the bench behind the two chairs that were kept in the center of the huge round hall.

...

"Is this true," said Shacklebolt, visibily stressed, "Mr. Potter? Mr. Malfoy? Do you love each other?"

"Yes." Said the lion and the serpent, together.

"Were you.. with.. each other when the worldwide disturbances occurred?" A woman dressed in strange robes asked.

"Yes." Said them.

Murmurs began in the hall. They held each other's hand as they sat, and they could feel the other's palm sweat. Harry's thoat was dry and Draco was slightly trembling with nervous energy. Shacklebolt had tiny sweat beads on his forehead, and McGonagall kept rubbing her finger over her wand nervously.

"That settles it then," said a man with asian features, "these boys are the two."

"And what do we do now," said a fair, woman, her face and hair covered by a goldfibre-fine-net, "we all know they cannot be stopped."

The murmurs in the hall increased.

"I demand to know what is being discussed about my students," said McGonagall, standing up, in a loud voice.

"What is being discussed," said a man sitting next to the woman in the net, with features Harry felt were familiar, "Headmistress McGonagall, is that your students are the fire and ice, the yin and the yang, the children of the Paradox, and that they are the ones to bring the end upon our world."

McGonagall turned sharply, and the look that she gave Harry then, chilled him to the bone. He gripped Draco's hand tighter.

"But Mr. Patil, we must.. how can we.. they're boys! They're my students! You can't do this! what are we going to do? Slaughter two innocent students?"

That was when Harry knew. Mr. Patil- the father of the Patil twins. Words like slaughter and end had their effect on the assembly, as small murmurs began, and Harry gripped his lover's hand tighter. None of them really understood what was being said about them, or why, but having spent seven years in Hogwarts, Harry knew when he was in trouble.

A sudden blast went off, and dense smoke filled the hall, and he was being pushed through a microscopic tube, and Draco was besides him, and the next thing he saw was Mr. Patil bowing to the woman in veil, saying,

"Grant me your leave, Beghum, for I must be back before they come to."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know your thoughts on this!


	7. The Sacrifice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can Harry and Draco meet, without consequences?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am kind of sorry that the story went in a direction which implies that Harry and Draco's love for each other is simply because of the Paradox, but that's how this story was, and I won't make the same mistake again.  
> I'm thinking of writing another series, events that happened after this one.

When Harry's senses permitted him to see what was on and about, his first instinct was to look for Draco. He turned to his right, and there he was, only.. when Draco moved up his face to look at Harry, Harry saw a strange, vertical almond-shaped mark on his brow, between his eyes, a glaring red contrasting sharply against his pale skin. In the silver eyes he saw his own surprise reflected, and touched his brow gingerly. It felt perfectly normal to his fingers.

Once he stretched out his hand so it touched his lover's, Draco looked around, and he was in what appeared to be a cave. A shiver went through him; he didn't fancy caves much. In some distance, a man sat on a raised stone pedestal, his feet cross-legged in a weird way, his back erect. He was looking at them calmly, as if he had been waiting for them to come to their senses, after that Begom woman had knocked them out.

"Where are we?"

The serpent hissed and the lion roared, together.

"You are in Kashmir, up in a cold, damp cave. Ask me WHY you are here."

"What happened back at the Ministry?" Harry was worried they'd harmed someone on their way out.

"What happened back at the Ministry was, the Beghum Nikhat Alia of Kashmir managed to save you both, with the help of that Patil of Maratha, without anyone suspecting her. Now, it was a very elaborate process, planning and disguise and disgusting potions and all, ask me WHY you're here!"

"What are these things on our foreheads?" Draco asked, and the old man rolled his eyes.

"Well, breaking the security systems those British people use, isn't exactly easy, is it? So we had to use your inner power to get you out. Now before you ask me what that power is, and not why you are here, I'll tell you. See, there is something known as a Pandora's Globe, stupid folk call it a Paradox, one kind of which, you both sent into another dimension, and you thought all was over. Now, Death doesn't work that way. She simply smuggled that Paradox back into you both, the perfect opposites, all romantically holding hands and all, and put the fire and ice in you both.

You're attracted to each other, aren't you? Well, that's the funniest part. You two, should hate each other, but you don't, and that, your love, your true union, is going to end this planet. So that's about it, that's why the Ministry wanted you, that's why some Mayan folks tried to kill you, but then,the funny thing is, you both, CANNOT be killed. There's so much power instilled inside you by the Globe, that killing you is impossible. See that red mark on your faces, that's your third eye, opened forcefully by the Beghum.

Now, I'm so fed up with this poisonous world, that I'd really love to see it burn to ashes, but then, that won't be fair, 'coz this Paradox wasn't born into our world naturally, it was created. And what is created by humans, can be reversed. So we do have a chance, and THAT'S why you're here. See, you should've just asked me why you were here."

Harry and Draco stood, holding hands, in utter silence. It was a lot to process. After a while, the old man spoke up,

"So what I'm saying is, we need to find an enclosed, safe place for you both to fuck each other, without tearing down the planet."

"Wait," said Harry, "how do you know this.."

".. if Paradox has burnt down hundreds of worlds, how do our wizards even know about it?" Draco finished.

"Well the same way the seers have visions, and prophecies, the inter-dimensional connections that fuel our magic itself! What, you didn't know? What do they teach you at your Brit schools, then? Turning rats to goblets?

Okay if this is too hard for you to understand, let's take the easier route. Now, don't panic, I'll be opening your third eyes really, really wide. You'll find all your answers then."

...

Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy sat next to each other, cross-legged, their knees touching. In front of them sat the hermit, the same way. Their eyes were closed, their hands on their knees. They had been meditating for half an hour now, and their third eye had been opened to knowledge of other worlds. He led them through the ocean of that ancient, unearthly knowledge, and they followed him.

When they opened their less interesting eyes, their hands immediately moved to hold each other. They had an argument inside their heads. Harry wanted to let the Wizard's Meet know what they knew, and Draco wanted the ritual to happen without telling the weak, political people. And then Harry spoke up.

"We agree with what you propose, but we don't know for sure it will work, do we?"

"Which is why, we want to consult with the meeting we were sneaked out of." Draco continued.

"There is no other solution, and we have to let the people know that."

"We won't do anything as outlaws."

"The ritual will be done, but it won't be in hiding."

"The world will watch. People deserve to know. We cannot decide their future."

"Are you done?" said Baba. "Well, the Meet is full of cowardly people who would try to kill you, but you're stronger than them, and even more so, now that you've got your eye open. Go ahead, then, do what you will, but now that we know we do have a chance, don't blow it up."

...

A great crowd had gathered on the grassy top of Mount Sinai to witness what was being called the Sacrifice. A large circle in the center had been cleared, and it was here that Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter stood, hand in hand.

The inner circle consisted of Narcissa Malfoy, Headmistress McGonagall, the Weasleys, Ron and Hermione, looking miserable, Kreacher, and some representatives of the Ministries of different countries, dressed strangely, including the Beghum of Kashmir, the Elder of Mayans, the Caster from Thulamela, the Woodwitch from China, and Kingsley Shacklebolt. In the large circle cleared out was a pyre, made out of sandalwood and a pool of water, in the shape of yin and yang.

"Let the Sacrifice begin!" said Baba.

Loud drums began to play, a beat that held everyone on their nerves. Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy began walking towards the circle, and Harry walked on the surface of the foot-deep pool, and Draco walked on the wood, still holding hands.

Their third eye contrasted sharply against their skin, their hair, loose, played with the wind and they wore strange robes of white and black, and Harry did not wear his glasses; he didn't need them anymore. They reached the center of the circle, and then they stopped, and faced each other, holding both hands, and a tear slipped from their eyes. The drums beat fast, their sound hard and sure.

"Empress Death, have your payment, the objects you granted the world at your defeat, the Deathly Hallows, and be fulfilled, for the humanity still has lots to give, and lots to learn, and lots to live!"

The three objects had been placed at their feet, in the space between them as they stood watching each other intently. The Elder Wand, the Cloak of Invisibility, and the Resurrection Stone.

Harry Potter let go of his lover's right hand, and from the fingers of his now freed left hand, he unleashed five tongues of fiendfyre over the sandalwood Draco stood on, as Draco Malfoy twisted his palm in thin air, as if trying to pick a fruit from an inexistent tree, and there was a globe of clear ice in his hand, which he let fall into the water Harry stood on.

They leaned in, touching each other's cheek with their hand, meeting in a kiss, even as ice spread from the globe into the rest of water, and fire consumed the wood. Their tongues met, and they kissed as if no one watched, and those who watched had tears in their eyes.

They moved closer, and they could not tell what they felt on their feet, if it was fire or ice anymore. Harry pulled Draco close fiercely, and fire leapt up from the wood to lick at Harry's robes, and ice slithered up Draco's legs, and fire and ice spread, and the watchers saw nothing of Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter now, but a sphere, made out of fire and ice playing along, half buried into the earth. The drums still played, a music haunting in its beauty.

Harry's robes were burning away, and he tore Draco's from his body. Their tongues dueled as they consumed each other. Harry's hand was in Draco's hair, while the other felt the smooth skin of his back. Draco's hand on Harry's back held him close, and his other hand went below to feel his rear. He squeezed and Harry moaned into their kiss, and they could hear lightning and thunder, and lava bubbled around them and ice hissed.

They pulled each other even closer, and grinded their erections together, their hands running up and down the other's back, feeling the other's buttocks, squeezing, feeling the smooth, smooth skin. Draco bit Harry's lower lip hard, the lion hissed, and moved his lips away from his lover's, lowering them to devour his neck. The snake roared and pulled his lover closer, as he felt cold licks and hot bites on his neck, shoulder blade, and then on his nipple.

Harry moved farther down, kissing, licking and biting Draco's skin, and finally he was where he wanted to be. He looked up at the serpent, and there was such icy desire there, and he descended his lips onto the pulsating length, and moved his tongue around it.

The watchers looked at the fiercely revolving ball of blue and red and green and yellow, and they could swear they had heard thunder and lightning, and a snake's hiss and a lion's roar and a Dragon's screech from inside it.

Draco was being pleasured by his love, and there was a finger at his rear, demanding entry. He permitted it, and he was glad he did the next second. He had never known such extreme pleasure. When he was beginning to doubt he could last anymore, the finger was gone and and the mouth moved away from him.

Draco pulled Harry up, kissing him fiercely. Harry turned Draco around, kissed the back of his neck smelling his silver hair, and pushed his erection against Draco's rear. Draco hissed in pain as his body denied entry to the thick thing, and he pushed himself back on his lover, accepting him in. Harry's hand was on his lover's chest, and Draco's was on his, and he held Draco close, but didn't move. His other hand moved to Draco's length, while Draco's was on Harry's cheek. He kept kissing and licking his lover's neck, allowing him time to adjust. When Draco was ready, he moved, and Harry picked up his rhythm.

Harry moved slow and sure. There came a point when Draco threw his head back, arching fiercely, taught as a bowstring, he clawed at Harry's neck, and roared. Harry began thrusting faster and faster, and soon he learnt Draco would hiss whenever he hit a certain point. He thrust hard and fast, always hitting the spot that made Draco go crazy. Draco knew he won't last long, and Harry was quite close, too. He wanted release as he had never wanted anything before. He was more than frustrated when Draco pulled himself away from Harry, denying him his release. Draco turned, and kissed Harry, and his silver eyes said that he wanted to see Harry come.

In an act of sheer strength, Draco picked Harry up, and Harry locked his legs around Draco, never breaking the kiss. Draco sat down, on what, he wasn't so sure, and moved his member to Harry's rear. Harry closed his eyes as his lover's manhood attempted to rip him apart, but then he opened them, looking at Draco, and how beautiful he was, and the next thing he knew, he hissed at how good his lover felt inside him. They moved, and they were laying down now, Harry on his back, Draco above him, his sweat dripping on Harry's body. Draco thrust in, and hit Harry's prostate. Harry roared, and locked his legs around his lover's legs tighter, and then moved them away to give him more access. Draco kept thrusting, in and out and they could see stars birthing and exploding into nothingness, and water freezing into clear ice.

They were close. Draco thrust deep inside Harry, and there was such a roar, and an explosion, and their eyes never wavered from each other's, and there were tears in both their eyes. This was the moment; the moment that their whole lives had built upto, and in that moment they thought time was such a fickle, fake thing. They had lived an eternity in that one moment of release, experiencing it in each other's eyes.

The watchers saw glaze and glow inside the sphere, half buried in the ground, and heard roars and thunder, and quakes and tsunamis. All of a sudden, there was such a brilliant glow that all of them were forced to shield their eyes, and the drums stopped suddenly, and when the eyes opened, sound had left the world. Only a hemisphere carved into the grassy earth remained, its surface the form of solidified bubbling lava, all mystic colours of blue and violet and green and red.

There were no Deathly Hallows, and there was no Draco Malfoy, and no Harry Potter, and Death had been paid her due and the world had been saved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please let me know what you felt about this end. Was it unfair on our heroes? Was it too typical? I had actually thought of ending the whole planet, but then Harry Potter would never, ever allow that to happen, would he?! Anyway, I'd love to hear from you people.

**Author's Note:**

> I'd love to hear your views!


End file.
